JP7496263B2 - Media ejection device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a media ejection device.

A media ejection device such as a scanner captures images of media as it is transported and ejects them onto an ejection tray. In general, in such media ejection devices, it is desirable to load ejected media in a manner that allows users to easily sort the media according to their type.

A paper discharge device is disclosed that is equipped with a discharge means that changes the skew angle of the paper relative to the discharge direction depending on the size of the paper (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-278245

It is desirable for a media ejection device to be able to appropriately control the media ejection direction while minimizing increases in device costs.

The object of the present invention is to provide a media ejection device that can appropriately control the ejection direction of the media while suppressing increases in device costs.

A media discharge device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a discharge roller that discharges media, a shaft member that rotatably supports the discharge roller, a discharge table that loads the media discharged by the discharge roller, a support member that supports the shaft member so that its orientation with respect to the discharge table can be changed, a change mechanism that changes the orientation of the shaft member based on the support member, and a single motor that generates a first driving force by rotating in a first direction to rotate the shaft member, and generates a second driving force by rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction to operate the change mechanism.

According to the present invention, the media ejection device is able to appropriately control the ejection direction of the media while suppressing increases in device costs.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the medium ejection device 100. 2 is a diagram for explaining a transport path inside the medium ejection device 100. FIG. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining a discharge mechanism. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the shape of a joint portion 137a. FIG. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams for explaining the shape of a receiving member 136a. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the discharge mechanism. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the discharge mechanism. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a medium ejection device 100. FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a storage device 160 and a processing circuit 170. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a medium reading process. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the state of a medium being discharged. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the state of a medium being discharged. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the state of a medium being discharged. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the state of a medium being discharged. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining another change mechanism 238. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining another stopper 339. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a moving mechanism 343. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a moving mechanism 343. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a medium ejection device 300. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of another operation of a medium reading process. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a processing circuit 470 according to another embodiment.

Below, a medium ejection device according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, please note that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but extends to the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a medium ejection device 100 configured as an image scanner. The medium ejection device 100 transports a medium, which is an original document, and captures an image. The medium is paper, cardboard, card, or the like. The medium ejection device 100 may be a facsimile, a copier, a multifunction printer (MFP, Multifunction Peripheral), or the like. Note that the medium being transported may not be an original document, but may be a printed object, or the like, and the medium ejection device 100 may be a printer, or the like.

The medium ejection device 100 includes a first housing 101, a second housing 102, a mounting stand 103, an ejection stand 104, an operation device 105, and a display device 106.

The first housing 101 is disposed on the upper side of the media ejection device 100 and engages with the second housing 102 by a hinge so that it can be opened and closed when inserting media, cleaning the inside of the media ejection device 100, etc.

The loading platform 103 engages with the second housing 102 so that the transported media can be placed thereon. The loading platform 103 is provided on the side of the second housing 102 on the media supply side so that it can move in a substantially vertical direction A1. The loading platform 103 is disposed at the bottom end position so that the media can be easily loaded when the media is not being transported, and when the media is being transported, it rises to a height substantially the same as the media transport path so that the loaded media is fed. The discharge platform 104 is formed on the first housing 101 so that it can hold the media discharged from the discharge port 107, and is a tray for loading the discharged media.

The operation device 105 has an input device such as a button and an interface circuit that acquires signals from the input device, accepts input operations by a user, and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the user's input operation. The display device 106 has a display including a liquid crystal, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence), or the like, and an interface circuit that outputs image data to the display, and displays the image data on the display.

In FIG. 1, arrow A2 indicates the media transport direction, arrow A3 indicates the media discharge direction, and arrow A4 indicates the width direction perpendicular to the media transport direction. In the following, upstream refers to the upstream side of the media transport direction A2 or the media discharge direction A3, and downstream refers to the downstream side of the media transport direction A2 or the media discharge direction A3.

Figure 2 is a diagram to explain the transport path inside the media ejection device 100.

The transport path inside the media ejection device 100 includes a first sensor 111, a pick roller 112, a feed roller 113, a brake roller 114, an ultrasonic transmitter 115a, an ultrasonic receiver 115b, first to seventh transport rollers 116a-g, first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g, a first imaging device 118a, a second imaging device 118b, a second sensor 119, an ejection roller 120, and an opposing roller 121.

The number of each of the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g, the first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g, the discharge roller 120 and/or the opposing roller 121 is not limited to one, and may be multiple. In this case, the multiple feed rollers 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g, the first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g, the discharge roller 120 and/or the opposing roller 121 are arranged at intervals in the width direction A4. In the following, the first imaging device 118a and the second imaging device 118b may be collectively referred to as the imaging device 118.

The surface of the first housing 101 facing the second housing 102 forms a first guide 101a for the medium transport path, and the surface of the second housing 102 facing the first housing 101 forms a second guide 102a for the medium transport path.

The first sensor 111 is disposed on the mounting table 103, i.e., upstream of the feed roller 113 and the brake roller 114, and detects the state of the medium on the mounting table 103. The first sensor 111 determines whether or not a medium is placed on the mounting table 103 by using a contact detection sensor that passes a predetermined current when the medium is in contact or not in contact. The first sensor 111 generates and outputs a first detection signal whose signal value changes depending on whether the medium is placed on the mounting table 103 or not.

The pick roller 112 is provided in the first housing 101, and contacts the medium placed on the mounting table 103, which is raised to approximately the same height as the media transport path, and feeds the medium downstream. The feed roller 113 is provided in the first housing 101 downstream of the pick roller 112, and feeds the medium fed by the pick roller 112 further downstream. The brake roller 114 is disposed in the second housing 102 opposite the feed roller 113. The feed roller 113 and the brake roller 114 perform a media separation operation, separating the media and feeding them one by one.

The ultrasonic transmitter 115a and the ultrasonic receiver 115b are disposed downstream of the feed roller 113 and the brake roller 114 and upstream of the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g and the first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g. The ultrasonic transmitter 115a and the ultrasonic receiver 115b are disposed near the medium conveying path, facing each other across the conveying path. The ultrasonic transmitter 115a emits ultrasonic waves. Meanwhile, the ultrasonic receiver 115b receives the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter 115a and passing through the medium, and generates and outputs an ultrasonic signal, which is an electrical signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic waves. Hereinafter, the ultrasonic transmitter 115a and the ultrasonic receiver 115b may be collectively referred to as the ultrasonic sensor 115.

The first to seventh conveying rollers 116a-g and the first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g are disposed downstream of the feed roller 113 and the brake roller 114, and convey the medium fed by the feed roller 113 and the brake roller 114 downstream.

The first imaging device 118a has a line sensor using a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) of a life-size optical system type having imaging elements using CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) arranged in a line in the main scanning direction. The first imaging device 118a also has a lens that forms an image on the imaging element, and an A/D converter that amplifies the electrical signal output from the imaging element and performs analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion. The first imaging device 118a captures an image of the surface of the medium being transported, generates an input image, and outputs it.

Similarly, the second imaging device 118b has a line sensor using a CIS of a life-size optical system type having CMOS imaging elements arranged in a line in the main scanning direction. The second imaging device 118b also has a lens that forms an image on the imaging element, and an A/D converter that amplifies and A/D converts the electrical signal output from the imaging element. The second imaging device 118b captures the back side of the medium being transported to generate an input image and output it.

The medium ejection device 100 may be configured with only one of the first imaging device 118a and the second imaging device 118b, and may read only one side of the medium. Also, instead of a CIS line sensor of an equal-magnification optical system type having a CMOS imaging element, a CIS line sensor of an equal-magnification optical system type having a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) imaging element may be used. Also, a reduction optical system type line sensor having a CMOS or CCD imaging element may be used.

The second sensor 119 is disposed downstream of the first to seventh transport rollers 116a-g and upstream of the discharge roller 120, and detects the medium transported to that position. The second sensor 119 may be disposed at any position in the transport path, as long as it is upstream of the discharge roller 120. The second sensor 119 includes a light emitter and a light receiver disposed on one side (first housing 101) of the media transport path, and a reflecting member such as a mirror disposed at a position (second housing 102) facing the light emitter and the light receiver across the media transport path. The light emitter is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like, and emits light toward the media transport path. On the other hand, the light receiver receives the light emitted by the light emitter and reflected by the reflecting member. When a medium is present at a position opposite the second sensor 119, the light emitted from the light emitter is blocked by the medium, and the light receiver does not detect the light emitted from the light emitter. Based on the intensity of the received light, the light receiver generates and outputs a second detection signal whose signal value changes depending on whether a medium is present or not at the position of the second sensor 119.

The light emitter and the light receiver may be disposed opposite each other across the medium transport path. The second sensor 119 may detect the presence of the medium using a contact detection sensor that passes a predetermined current when the medium is in contact or when the medium is not in contact.

The discharge roller 120 is provided in the first housing 101 downstream of the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a to g. The opposing roller 121 is disposed in the second housing 102 facing the discharge roller 120. The discharge roller 120 and the opposing roller 121 discharge the medium conveyed by the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a to g and the first to seventh driven rollers 117a to g onto the discharge tray 104. The discharge roller 120 rotates according to the driving force from the motor, and the opposing roller 121 rotates following the rotation of the discharge roller 120.

The media placed on the mounting table 103 is transported between the first guide 101a and the second guide 102a in the media transport direction A2 by the rotation of the pick roller 112 and the feed roller 113 in the media feed directions A5 and A6, respectively. On the other hand, when multiple media are placed on the mounting table 103, only the media in contact with the feed roller 113 is separated by the rotation of the brake roller 114 in the opposite direction A7 to the media feed direction.

The medium is guided by the first guide 101a and the second guide 102a and sent to the imaging position of the imaging device 118 by the rotation of the first and second transport rollers 116a-b in the directions of arrows A8-9, and is imaged by the imaging device 118. The medium is then discharged from the discharge port 107 onto the discharge tray 104 by the rotation of the third to seventh transport rollers 116c-g and the discharge roller 120 in the directions of arrows A10-15, respectively. The discharge tray 104 holds the media discharged by the discharge rollers 120.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the ejection mechanism of the medium ejection device 100.

As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge mechanism of the medium discharge device 100 includes, in addition to the discharge roller 120 and the opposing roller 121, a first wall member 131, a second wall member 132, a third wall member 133, a fourth wall member 134, a motor 135, a first shaft 136, a second shaft 137, a change mechanism 138, a stopper 139, and a third shaft 140.

The first wall member 131 is arranged so as to be fixed to one end side of the width direction A4 within the first housing 101. The second wall member 132 is arranged so as to be fixed to the other end side of the width direction A4 within the first housing 101. The third wall member 133 is arranged so as to be fixed to one end side of the width direction A4 within the second housing 102. The fourth wall member 134 is arranged so as to be fixed to the other end side of the width direction A4 within the second housing 102.

The motor 135 is provided on the first wall member 131 and rotates in a forward direction A16 and a reverse direction A17 according to control from a processing circuit described later. The forward direction is an example of a first direction, and the reverse direction is an example of a second direction opposite to the first direction. The motor 135 generates a first driving force by rotating in the forward direction A16, and generates a second driving force by rotating in the reverse direction A17.

The first shaft 136 is a support member that supports the second shaft 137 so that its orientation relative to the discharge tray 104 can be changed. The first shaft 136 supports the second shaft 137 at one end thereof so that the second shaft 137 can rotate (swing) in a direction parallel to the medium transport surface. A belt is stretched between one end of the first shaft 136 in the width direction A4 and the rotating shaft of the motor 135. A receiving member 136a is fixedly provided to the other end of the first shaft 136 in the width direction A4.

The second shaft 137 is an example of an axial member, and rotatably supports the discharge roller 120. A joint portion 137a is provided at one end of the second shaft 137 in the width direction A4. The other end of the second shaft 137 in the width direction A4 is disposed outside the media transport path through a hole 132a formed in the second wall member 132. A first one-way clutch 120a is disposed between the second shaft 137 and the discharge roller 120. The first one-way clutch 120a is provided so as to transmit the first driving force generated by the motor 135 to the discharge roller 120, but not to transmit the second driving force to the discharge roller 120.

The change mechanism 138 is a mechanism that changes the orientation of the second shaft 137 with respect to the first shaft 136. The change mechanism 138 is provided on the end side of the second shaft 137 opposite the end on the first shaft 136 side, and rotates (swings) the second shaft 137 in a direction parallel to the media transport surface. The change mechanism 138 includes a pinion 138a, a rack 138b, a spring 138c, and the like.

The pinion 138a is connected to one end of the second shaft 137 opposite the end where the joint portion 137a is provided in the width direction A4, and rotates (spins) in response to the rotation (spinning) of the second shaft 137. A second one-way clutch 138d is disposed between the first shaft 136 and the pinion 138a. The second one-way clutch 138d is provided so as to transmit the second driving force generated by the motor 135 to the pinion 138a, but not to transmit the first driving force to the pinion 138a.

The rack 138b is disposed along the second wall member 132, approximately parallel to the media transport surface, and extends in an arc shape centered on the joint portion 137a of the second shaft 137. The rack 138b is provided to mesh with and be combined with the pinion 138a.

The change mechanism 138 may use a rubber roller and a rubber plate instead of the pinion 138a and the rack 138b to change the orientation of the second shaft 137 with respect to the first shaft 136. In that case, the rubber roller is connected to one end of the second shaft 137 in the width direction A4 opposite to the end where the joint portion 137a is provided, similar to the pinion 138a, and rotates according to the rotation of the second shaft 137. A second one-way clutch 138d is disposed between the first shaft 136 and the rubber roller. Similarly to the rack 138b, the rubber plate is disposed so as to extend in an arc shape along the second wall member 132, approximately parallel to the medium conveying surface, and centered on the joint portion 137a of the second shaft 137. The rubber plate is provided so as to be combined with the rubber roller.

The spring 138c is an example of an elastic member, and applies a force to the second shaft 137 toward the stopper 139. Rubber or the like may be used as the elastic member instead of the spring 138c.

The stopper 139 is an example of a locking member, and locks the second shaft 137, to which a force toward the stopper 139 is applied by the spring 138c, at a predetermined position where the stopper 139 is disposed.

The medium ejection device 100 uses the spring 138c and the stopper 139 to lock the second shaft 137 in a predetermined position, making it possible to control the position of the second shaft 137 with a simple structure without using an additional motor or the like. Therefore, the medium ejection device 100 makes it possible to suppress increases in device costs.

The third shaft 140 is an example of a second shaft member, and rotatably supports the opposing roller 121. One end of the third shaft 140 in the width direction A4 is rotatably supported by the third wall member 133, and the other end of the third shaft 140 in the width direction A4 is rotatably supported by the fourth wall member 134. In addition, the third shaft 140 is supported so as to be movable in the height direction while being pressed downward by a spring (not shown) so that the opposing roller 121 moves upward according to the thickness of the medium being discharged.

Figure 4A is a schematic diagram for explaining the shape of the joint portion 137a of the second shaft 137.

Figure 4A is a side view of the second shaft 137. As shown in Figure 4A, the joint part 137a is formed in a spherical shape, and the joint part 137a is formed with a cylindrical protrusion part 137b that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the second shaft 137.

Figure 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating the shape of the receiving member 136a of the first shaft 136.

Figure 4B is a view of the first shaft 136 as seen from the receiving member 136a side. As shown in Figure 4B, the receiving member 136a is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a recess 136b is formed in the receiving member 136a. A slit 136c is formed in the recess 136b. The coupling portion 137a is inserted into the recess 136b, and the protrusion portion 137b is fitted into the slit 136c, so that the second shaft 137 engages with the receiving member 136a so as to be able to tilt and rotate freely.

That is, the receiving member 136a of the first shaft 136 and the joint portion 137a of the second shaft 137 function as a universal joint. As a result, the second shaft 137 is connected to the first shaft 136 so as to be able to tilt freely, and rotates according to the rotational driving force from the first shaft 136.

Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the ejection mechanism of the medium ejection device 100.

Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams of the first housing 101 viewed from above when the first housing 101 has been removed from the second housing 102. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a belt 135a is stretched between the rotating shaft of the motor 135 and the first shaft 136. Figure 5 shows the state in which the motor 135 is generating a first driving force, and Figure 6 shows the state in which the motor 135 is generating a second driving force.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the motor 135 generates the first driving force, the rotating shaft of the motor 135 rotates in the direction of the arrow A16 in FIG. 3, and the first shaft 136, the second shaft 137, and the discharge roller 120 rotate in the direction of the arrow A15 in FIG. 3. That is, the first driving force is transmitted to the discharge roller 120 via the first shaft 136, the second shaft 137, and the first one-way clutch 120a. On the other hand, the first driving force is blocked by the second one-way clutch 138d and is not transmitted to the pinion 138a. Therefore, the second shaft 137 is pressed toward the stopper 139 by the spring 138c and stops at a position where it abuts against the stopper 139.

In the following, as shown in FIG. 5, the position where the second shaft 137 abuts against the stopper 139 may be referred to as the initial position. The initial position is set so that the direction in which the second shaft 137 extends is approximately parallel to the direction in which the rotation axes of the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g extend. When the second shaft 137 is disposed in the initial position, the medium is discharged in the same direction as the direction in which it was conveyed by the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the motor 135 generates the second driving force, the rotating shaft of the motor 135 rotates in the direction of the arrow A17 in FIG. 3, and the first shaft 136 and the second shaft 137 rotate in the opposite direction of the arrow A15 in FIG. 3. However, the second driving force is blocked by the first one-way clutch 120a and is not transmitted to the discharge roller 120. Therefore, the discharge roller 120 and the counter roller 121 do not rotate. On the other hand, with the rotation of the second shaft 137, the pinion 138a rotates in the opposite direction of the arrow A15 and moves along the rack 138b in the opposite direction to the media discharge direction A3. As a result, the second shaft 137 rotates (swings) in a direction away from the stopper 139 against the force applied by the spring 138c.

In the following, as shown in FIG. 6, the position where the second shaft 137 is separated from the stopper 139 may be referred to as the first movement position. The first movement position is set so that the direction in which the second shaft 137 extends is inclined relative to the direction in which the rotation axes of the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g extend. When the second shaft 137 is disposed in the first movement position, the medium is discharged with its leading edge inclined to the left relative to the direction in which it has been conveyed by the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and/or the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g.

In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 6, when the motor 135 generates the first driving force, the second shaft 137 rotates in the direction of the arrow A15 in FIG. 3, and the discharge roller 120 rotates in the direction of the arrow A15. On the other hand, the first driving force is blocked by the second one-way clutch 138d and is not transmitted to the pinion 138a, so that the second shaft 137 is pressed toward the stopper 139 by the spring 138c and moves to the initial position.

In this way, the motor 135 generates a first driving force to rotate the second shaft 137, and generates a second driving force to operate the change mechanism 138. When the second driving force is transmitted, the change mechanism 138 changes the orientation of the second shaft 137 in a direction in which the second shaft 137 moves away from the stopper 139. The medium ejection direction A3 when the second shaft 137 is located at the first movement position is inclined with respect to the medium ejection direction A3 when the second shaft 137 is located at the initial position.

Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of the media ejection device 100.

In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the medium ejection device 100 further includes an interface device 151, a storage device 160, and a processing circuit 170.

The motor 135 rotates the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a-g, and the discharge roller 120 in response to a control signal from the processing circuit 170 to convey and discharge the medium. When the motor 135 rotates forward, the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a-g, and the discharge roller 120 rotate in the directions of the arrows A5-A15 in FIG. 2, respectively. As with the discharge roller 120, one-way clutches are provided between the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a-g, and the shafts that are axial members that rotatably support each roller. When the motor 135 rotates in the reverse direction, the second driving force from the motor 135 is not transmitted to each roller due to the action of each one-way clutch.

The first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g or the opposing roller 121 may be arranged to rotate by the driving force from a motor, rather than being driven to rotate according to the rotation of each conveying roller. In this case, a one-way clutch is provided between the first to seventh driven rollers 117a-g or the opposing roller 121 and a shaft that is an axial member that rotatably supports each roller. Also, the motor that drives the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and/or the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a-g may be provided separately from the motor 135 that drives the discharge roller 120. However, a single motor 135 is used as the motor that rotates the second shaft 137 that is the rotation axis of the discharge roller 120 and the motor that operates the change mechanism 138.

The interface device 151 has an interface circuit conforming to a serial bus such as USB, and is electrically connected to an information processing device (not shown) (e.g., a personal computer, a portable information terminal, etc.) to transmit and receive scanned images and various information. Also, instead of the interface device 151, a communication unit having an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals and a wireless communication interface circuit for transmitting and receiving signals through a wireless communication line according to a predetermined communication protocol may be used. The predetermined communication protocol is, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network).

The storage device 160 includes a memory device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), a fixed disk device such as a hard disk, or a portable storage device such as a flexible disk or an optical disk. The storage device 160 also stores computer programs, databases, tables, and the like used for various processes of the medium ejection device 100. Computer programs may be installed into the storage device 160 from a computer-readable portable recording medium using a known setup program or the like. Portable recording media include, for example, a CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) or a DVD-ROM (digital versatile disc read only memory).

The processing circuit 170 operates based on a program previously stored in the storage device 160. The processing circuit 170 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processing circuit 170 may be a DSP (digital signal processor), an LSI (large scale integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or the like.

The processing circuit 170 is connected to the operation device 105, the display device 106, the first sensor 111, the ultrasonic sensor 115, the imaging device 118, the second sensor 119, the motor 135, the interface device 151, the storage device 160, etc., and controls each of these components. The processing circuit 170 controls the motor 135 to transport the medium, controls the imaging device 118 to obtain an input image, and transmits the obtained input image to the information processing device via the interface device 151. The processing circuit 170 also controls the motor 135 when the medium is being transported, to change the direction in which the medium is discharged.

Figure 8 shows the schematic configuration of the memory device 160 and the processing circuit 170.

As shown in FIG. 8, the storage device 160 stores various programs such as a control program 161 and a detection program 162. Each of these programs is a functional module implemented by software running on a processor. The processing circuit 170 reads each program stored in the storage device 160 and operates according to the read programs, thereby functioning as a control unit 171 and a detection unit 172.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the media reading process.

Below, an example of the operation of the media reading process of the media ejection device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 9. Note that the flow of the operation described below is executed mainly by the processing circuit 170 in cooperation with each element of the media ejection device 100 based on a program previously stored in the storage device 160. Note that before this flowchart is executed, the second shaft 137 of the ejection roller 120 is placed in the initial position.

First, the control unit 171 waits until the user inputs an instruction to read a medium using the operation device 105 or the information processing device, and receives an operation signal from the operation device 105 or the interface device 151 instructing to read the medium (step S101). The operation signal may include information about a job specified by the user. A job is a setting related to the image reading process, and is set for each type of medium to be read (general paper/business card/photo, etc.). A job includes settings such as color settings (color/grayscale/black and white, etc.) of the input image to be generated, resolution (200 dpi/300 dpi/600 dpi, etc.), or reading side (double-sided/single-sided). When multiple media are placed on the placement table 103 and transported together, the same job may be set for each medium, or different jobs may be set.

Next, the control unit 171 acquires a first detection signal from the first sensor 111, and determines whether or not a medium is placed on the placement table 103 based on the acquired first detection signal (step S102). If a medium is not placed on the placement table 103, the control unit 171 returns the process to step S101 and waits until a new operation signal is received from the operation device 105.

On the other hand, if a medium is placed on the placement table 103, the control unit 171 drives the motor 135 to rotate in the forward direction A16, causing the motor 135 to generate a first driving force (step S103). The first driving force causes the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh transport rollers 116a-g to rotate in the directions of the arrows A5-A14 in FIG. 2, feeding and transporting the medium placed on the placement table 103. The first driving force also causes the discharge roller 120 to rotate in the direction of the arrow A15 in FIG. 2, and the second shaft 137 remains in its initial position.

Next, the control unit 171, in accordance with the job specified by the user, captures an image of the medium being transported to the imaging device 118 to obtain an input image, and outputs the obtained input image by transmitting it to the information processing device via the interface device 142 (step S104). The control unit 171 obtains the input image after the rear end of the medium has passed the imaging position of the imaging device 118. The control unit 171 determines that the rear end of the medium has passed the imaging position of the imaging device 118 when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of feeding the medium. The control unit 171 may also determine whether or not the rear end of the medium has passed the imaging position of the imaging device 118 based on the detection result of the medium by a media sensor (not shown) arranged around the imaging device 118.

Next, the detection unit 172 determines whether the rear end of the medium has reached the position in front of the discharge roller 120 (for example, a distance of 10 mm or more and 50 mm or less from the nip position between the discharge roller 120 and the opposing roller 121) (step S105). The detection unit 172 periodically receives a second detection signal from the second sensor 119, and when the signal value of the second detection signal changes from a value indicating the presence of the medium to a value indicating the absence of the medium, the detection unit 172 determines that the rear end of the medium has reached the position of the second sensor 119, i.e., in front of the discharge roller 120. Note that the detection unit 172 may determine that the rear end of the medium has reached the position of the second sensor 119 when a predetermined time has elapsed since it was determined that the medium has reached the position of the second sensor 119.

The detection unit 172 may also determine whether or not the rear end of the medium has reached the discharge rollers 120 based on the image captured by the imaging device 118. In this case, the detection unit 172 uses a known image processing technique to detect the rear end of the medium from the image captured by the imaging device 118, and determines that the rear end of the medium has reached the discharge rollers 120 when a predetermined time has elapsed since the detection of the rear end of the medium.

Next, the control unit 171 determines whether or not to set the position of the second shaft 137 to the initial position (step S106).

For example, when a read instruction is input for the first time after the device is started, the control unit 171 determines the placement position to be the initial position. Then, each time a new set of media is placed on the placement table 103 and a read instruction is input, the control unit 171 changes the placement position so that it is different from the placement position when the media was transported immediately before. Note that the control unit 171 may change the placement position so that it is different from the placement position when the media was transported immediately before each time a change is made to the job specified for the transported media. Since each medium is discharged so as to be distinguished by type of medium, it becomes easier for the user to separate the media, and the media discharge device 100 can improve user convenience.

The control unit 171 may also determine whether a multi-feed of media has occurred, and if a multi-feed of media has not occurred, determine the placement position to be the initial position, and if a multi-feed of media has occurred, determine the placement position to be the first movement position. In this case, the control unit 171 periodically acquires ultrasonic signals from the ultrasonic sensor 115, and determines whether the signal value of each acquired ultrasonic signal is less than the multi-feed threshold. If the signal value of the ultrasonic signal is less than the multi-feed threshold, the control unit 171 determines that a multi-feed of media has occurred, and if the signal value of the ultrasonic signal is equal to or greater than the multi-feed threshold, determines that a multi-feed of media has not occurred. The multi-feed threshold is set to a value between the signal value of the ultrasonic signal when a single sheet of paper is being transported and the signal value of the ultrasonic signal when a multi-feed of paper has occurred. Since a medium in which a multi-feed has occurred is discharged in a manner that distinguishes it from other media, the user can easily recognize a medium that needs to be transported again, and the media discharge device 100 can improve the user's convenience.

The control unit 171 may also determine whether the medium being transported is normal paper for reading or separator paper for sorting, and if the medium is normal paper, determine the placement position to be the initial position, and if the medium is separator paper, determine the placement position to be the first movement position. In this case, the control unit 171 uses known image processing technology to determine whether the medium is normal paper or separator paper based on the input image. For example, the control unit 171 determines that the medium is separator paper if the number or percentage of pixels in the input image whose color values (RGB values) correspond to separator paper are equal to or greater than a threshold value, and otherwise determines that the medium is normal paper.

Alternatively, the control unit 171 may use a known pattern matching technique to determine whether the input image contains specific information, such as a specific barcode affixed or printed on the medium. In this case, the medium ejection device 100 stores a sample image containing the specific information in the storage device 160 in advance. The control unit 171 cuts out an area of the same size as the sample image while shifting the cut-out position in the input image, and calculates the degree of similarity between the cut-out area and the sample image. For example, a normalized cross-correlation value is used as the degree of similarity. If any of the degrees of similarity are equal to or greater than a threshold, the control unit 171 determines that the medium is separator paper, and if any of the degrees of similarity are less than the threshold, the control unit 171 determines that the medium is not separator paper. Since the separator paper is ejected so as to be distinguished from normal paper, it is easier for the user to recognize the separator paper, and the medium ejection device 100 can improve user convenience.

The control unit 171 may also change the position of the media each time a separator sheet is transported so that it is different from the position of the media when it was transported immediately before. Since each medium is discharged so as to be distinguished by the stack of media classified by the separator sheet, it becomes easier for the user to separate the media, and the media discharge device 100 can improve user convenience.

When the position of the second shaft 137 is determined to be the initial position, the control unit 171 transitions the process to step S111. In this case, the discharge roller 120 continues to rotate with the second shaft 137 placed in the initial position. The discharge roller 120 discharges the medium in approximately the same direction as the direction in which the medium was conveyed by the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a to g.

On the other hand, if the position of the second shaft 137 is determined to be the first movement position, the control unit 171 temporarily stops the motor 135 (step S107). As a result, the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a to 116g, and the discharge roller 120 temporarily stop.

Next, the control unit 171 drives the motor 135 to rotate in the reverse direction A17, causing the motor 135 to generate a second driving force (step S108). The second driving force moves the second shaft 137 toward the first movement position. The control unit 171 rotates the motor 135 in the reverse direction A17 by a predetermined amount required to move the second shaft 137 from the initial position to the first movement position, causing the second shaft 137 to move to the first movement position. Meanwhile, the second driving force is blocked by a one-way clutch provided between each roller and the rotation axis of each roller, and is not transmitted to each roller, so that each roller does not rotate.

Next, the control unit 171 temporarily stops the motor 135 (step S109).

Next, the control unit 171 drives the motor 135 to rotate in the forward direction A16, causing the motor 135 to generate a first driving force (step S110). The first driving force is blocked by the second one-way clutch 138d and is not transmitted to the pinion 138a. Therefore, the second shaft 137 is pressed toward the stopper 139 by the spring 138c and moves toward the initial position. Meanwhile, the first driving force causes the discharge roller 120 to rotate in the direction of the arrow A15. As a result, the discharge roller 120 discharges the medium so that its tip is tilted to the left relative to the direction in which it has been conveyed by the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a to g.

As described above, when the motor 135 rotates in the forward direction A16, the second shaft 137 moves toward the initial position while rotating in the direction of the arrow A15 in FIG. 3. However, due to the force exerted by the second one-way clutch 138d, the second shaft 137 does not move toward the initial position instantaneously. Due to the action of the second one-way clutch 138d, the axial circumferential speed of the second shaft 137 becomes equal to or greater than the inner circumferential speed of the pinion 138a (the inner circumferential speed of the second one-way clutch 138d). That is, before the second shaft 137 reaches the initial position, the rotation (spinning) angle of the second shaft 137 returns to the rotation angle at the time when the second shaft 137 was disposed at the initial position before moving to the first moving position (at the time of step S107). Therefore, the discharge roller 120 can discharge the medium at an angle.

For example, the length L from the joint 137a of the second shaft 137 to the position where the pinion 138a is arranged is 350 [mm], and the angle θ of the second shaft 137 arranged at the moving position relative to the second shaft 137 arranged at the initial position is 5° (see FIG. 6). Also, the module m of the pinion 138a is 0.8, and the number of teeth z is 18 [teeth]. In this case, one pitch of the rack 138b is (π·m) ≒ 2.5 [mm], and the number of teeth of the rack 138b from the moving position to the initial position is (2π·L) × (θ/360) × (1/π·m) ≒ 12 [teeth]. For example, if the processing of steps S107 to S110 is performed with the rear end of the medium engaged by 2.5 [mm], the medium will be ejected when the pinion rotates by 1 to 2 teeth. That is, the medium is discharged with the second shaft 137 tilted at about 4° from the initial position, and the discharge roller 120 can discharge the medium at an angle.

Next, the control unit 171 determines whether or not a medium remains on the placement table 103 based on the first detection signal received from the first sensor 111 (step S111). If a medium remains on the placement table 103, the control unit 171 returns to step S104 and repeats steps S104 to S111.

On the other hand, if there is no media remaining on the mounting table 103, the control unit 171 stops the motor 135 (step S112) and ends the series of steps. This stops the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g, and the discharge roller 120.

Figures 10A, 10B, 11A, and 11B are schematic diagrams showing the state of media being discharged. Figures 10A to 11B show the state in which the first medium M1 is discharged to the discharge tray 104 with the second shaft 137 positioned in the initial position, and then the second medium M2 is discharged to the discharge tray 104 with the second shaft 137 positioned in the first movement position.

Figure 10A shows a state in which the second shaft 137 is positioned at the initial position, and the first medium M1 is discharged to the discharge tray 104, and then the rear end of the second medium M2 reaches in front of the discharge roller 120. In this state, when the position of the second shaft 137 is determined to be the first movement position, the motor 135 is stopped once (step S107), and then rotated in the reverse direction A17 (step S108).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 10B, the second driving force causes the second shaft 137 to move toward the first movement position, and the discharge roller 120 stops rotating. The medium M2 caught in the discharge roller 120 moves in an inclined manner as the second shaft 137 moves. With the second shaft 137 in the first movement position, the motor 135 is stopped once (step S109), and then rotated in the forward direction A16 (step S110).

11A, the first driving force causes the second shaft 137 to start moving toward the initial position, and the discharge roller 120 is rotated in the direction of arrow A15. The medium M2 that was caught in the discharge roller 120 is discharged by the discharge roller 120 to the discharge tray 104 so as to be inclined relative to the medium M1.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11B, the second shaft 137 is pressed toward the stopper 139 by the spring 138c and placed in the initial position.

As described above in detail, the medium ejection device 100 rotates the ejection roller 120 using a single motor 135 to eject the medium, and also changes the orientation of the ejection roller 120 as necessary to tilt the ejected medium and change the medium ejection direction A3. This makes it possible for the medium ejection device 100 to appropriately control the medium ejection direction while suppressing increases in device costs.

The medium ejection device 100 is also now capable of classifying ejected media by job, classifying media in which multiple feeds have occurred from media that have been transported normally, and classifying separator paper from regular paper. This makes it possible for the medium ejection device 100 to improve user convenience.

When a so-called multi-stacker is used, in which multiple discharge trays are arranged vertically and different discharge trays are used for each discharged medium, the height of the media discharge device increases, and the size of the device increases. In addition, when a multi-stacker is used, media transported together may be discharged to different discharge trays, and the order of the transported media may become unclear. In addition, when a so-called offset stacker is used, in which either the rotation axis of the discharge roller or the discharge tray is slid in the width direction to change the discharge position of the media, it takes a long time to move the rotation axis of the discharge roller or the discharge tray, and the time required for the media reading process increases. In addition, when an offset stacker is used, the mechanism for moving the rotation axis of the discharge roller or the discharge tray becomes complex, and the cost of the device increases.

The medium ejection device 100 classifies the ejected media by rotating (oscillating) the second shaft 137, which is the rotation axis of the ejection roller 120, in a direction parallel to the media transport path. This makes it possible for the medium ejection device 100 to effectively classify the ejected media while suppressing increases in device size, device cost, and the time required for the media reading process.

In addition, instead of the first one-way clutch 120a, the second one-way clutch 138d, and/or the one-way clutch provided between each roller and the rotation shaft of each roller, an electromagnetic clutch or an electromagnetic brake may be used. The electromagnetic clutch is a clutch that can electromagnetically change the torque limit value according to a control signal from the processing circuit 170, such as a micro-powder clutch or a hysteresis clutch. The electromagnetic brake is a brake that can electromagnetically change the torque limit value according to a control signal from the processing circuit 170, such as a micro-powder brake or a hysteresis brake. In that case, in steps S103 and S110, the control unit 171 controls the electromagnetic clutch or the electromagnetic brake so that the first driving force is not transmitted to each roller. In addition, in step S108, the control unit 171 controls the electromagnetic clutch or the electromagnetic brake so that the second driving force is not transmitted to each roller.

However, because electromagnetic clutches or electromagnetic brakes are generally more expensive than one-way clutches, the media ejection device 100 can suppress increases in device costs by using the first one-way clutch 120a and the second one-way clutch 138d.

The control unit 171 may divide the direction in which the medium is discharged into three or more directions instead of two. In that case, in step S108 of FIG. 9, the control unit 171 varies the amount by which the motor 135 is rotated in the reverse direction A17 so that the inclination (angle) of the second shaft 137 with respect to the initial position varies for each job.

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the change mechanism 238 of a medium ejection device according to another embodiment.

12, the change mechanism 238 is used in place of the change mechanism 138 of the medium ejection device 100. The change mechanism 238 has an opposing roller support member 238e in addition to the various parts of the change mechanism 138. The opposing roller support member 238e has a hole for passing the second shaft 137 and a hole for passing the third shaft 140. The hole for passing the third shaft 140 is formed to extend in the height direction so that the opposing roller 121 moves upward according to the thickness of the medium to be ejected. The opposing roller support member 238e is attached to the second shaft 137 via a bearing member 238f so as to be movable in conjunction with the change in the orientation of the second shaft 137. The third shaft 140 is not supported by the third wall member 133 and the fourth wall member, and is attached to the opposing roller support member 238e via a bearing member 238f so as to be movable in conjunction with the change in the orientation of the opposing roller support member 238e. As a result, the third shaft 140 moves in conjunction with the change in orientation of the second shaft 137. That is, the change mechanism 238 changes the orientation of the third shaft 140 in conjunction with the change in orientation of the second shaft 137.

Even when the second shaft 137 is positioned in the first movement position, the change mechanism 238 allows the second shaft 137 and the third shaft 140 to be positioned parallel to each other, so that the discharge roller 120 and the opposing roller 121 can oppose each other and grip the media. Therefore, the media discharge device can discharge the media more efficiently.

In particular, even if the second shaft 137 is far away from the initial position, the discharge roller 120 and the opposing roller 121 can effectively grip the medium. This allows the medium discharge device to effectively divide the direction in which the medium is discharged into more stages.

As described above in detail, the media ejection device is now able to appropriately control the media ejection direction while suppressing increases in device costs, even when using the change mechanism 238.

Figure 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a stopper 339 of a medium ejection device 300 according to yet another embodiment.

Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the first housing 101 viewed from above with the first housing 101 removed from the second housing 102. As shown in Figure 13, the stopper 339 is used in place of the stopper 139 of the medium ejection device 100. Like the stopper 139, the stopper 339 is provided to lock the second shaft 137 in a predetermined position. However, the stopper 339 is provided so as to be movable downstream in the medium ejection direction A3. By arranging the stopper 339 downstream from the position shown in Figure 5, the second shaft 137 can be arranged to be tilted in the opposite direction to the first movement position with respect to the initial position.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the position where the second shaft 137 abuts against a stopper 339 arranged downstream from the position shown in FIG. 5 may be referred to as the second movement position. The second movement position is set so that the direction in which the second shaft 137 extends is tilted opposite to the first movement position with respect to the direction in which the rotation axes of the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g extend. When the second shaft 137 is arranged in the second movement position, the medium is discharged with its leading edge tilted to the right with respect to the direction in which it has been conveyed by the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and/or the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the position where the stopper 339 abuts against the second shaft 137 arranged in the initial position may be referred to as the stopper initial position. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13, the position where the stopper 339 abuts against the second shaft 137 arranged in the second movement position may be referred to as the stopper movement position.

Figures 14A and 14B are schematic diagrams for explaining the movement mechanism 343 of the stopper 339.

Fig. 14A is a schematic diagram of the moving mechanism 343 viewed from above, and Fig. 14B is a schematic diagram of the moving mechanism 343 viewed from the downstream side. As shown in Figs. 14A and 14B, the medium ejection device 300 has a second motor 342 and a moving mechanism 343. The moving mechanism 343 has a worm wheel 343a, a lead screw 343b, and the like.

The second motor 342 is provided on the second wall member 132 and rotates in the direction of arrow A18 under control of the processing circuit 170. The second motor 342 generates a third driving force by rotating in the direction of arrow A18. A second worm wheel 342a is formed on the rotating shaft of the second motor 342.

The worm wheel 343a is arranged to mesh perpendicularly with the second worm wheel 342a, and rotates in the direction of arrow A19 in accordance with the rotation of the second motor 342 in the direction of arrow A18.

The lead screw 343b is provided at the center of rotation of the worm wheel 343a so as to extend along the rotation axis of the worm wheel 343a, and rotates in the direction of arrow A19 in accordance with the rotation of the worm wheel 343a in the direction of arrow A19.

A hole having a groove that meshes with the lead screw 343b is formed at the bottom end of the stopper 339, and the lead screw 343b is positioned to pass through the hole. A hole extending along the medium discharge direction A3 is formed in the second wall member 132, and the stopper 339 is provided with a protrusion 339a. The protrusion 339a is slidably supported in the hole formed in the second wall member 132, and the stopper 339 moves straight along the hole in the direction of arrow A20 without rotating in accordance with the rotation of the lead screw 343b in the direction of arrow A19.

In this way, the moving mechanism 343 moves the stopper 339 by the third driving force of the second motor 342. This enables the medium ejection device 300 to effectively divide the direction in which the medium is ejected into more stages.

Figure 15 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of the medium ejection device 300.

In addition to the various components of the medium ejection device 100, the medium ejection device 300 further includes a second motor 342, etc.

The second motor 342 generates a third driving force in response to a control signal from the processing circuit 170, and moves the stopper 339. When the second motor 342 rotates forward, the stopper 339 moves downstream (from the stopper initial position toward the stopper movement position). On the other hand, when the second motor 342 rotates reversely, the stopper 339 moves upstream (from the stopper movement position toward the stopper initial position).

The weight of the stopper 339 is sufficiently small compared to the weight of the second shaft 137, and the torque required to move the stopper 339 is sufficiently smaller than the torque required to move the second shaft 137. Therefore, an inexpensive motor with a torque sufficiently smaller than that of the motor 135 can be used as the second motor 342.

Figure 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the media reading process by the media ejection device 300.

Below, an example of the operation of the media reading process of the media ejection device 300 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 16. The flowchart shown in FIG. 16 is executed in place of the flowchart shown in FIG. 9. The processes of steps S201 to S206, S208 to S211, and S219 to S220 in the flowchart in FIG. 16 are similar to the processes of steps S101 to S106, S107 to S110, and S111 to S112 in the flowchart in FIG. 9, so detailed explanations will be omitted. Below, steps S207 and S212 to S218 will be explained. Note that before this flowchart is executed, the stopper 339 is placed in the stopper initial position, and the second shaft 137 is placed in the initial position.

If it is determined in step S206 that the position of the second shaft 137 is not to be the initial position, the control unit 171 determines whether the position of the second shaft 137 is to be the first movement position or the second movement position (step S207).

For example, the control unit 171 changes the placement position so that the placement position changes in the order of initial position, first movement position, and second movement position each time a new set of media is placed on the placement table 103 and a reading instruction is input. Note that the control unit 171 may change the placement position so that the placement position changes in the order of initial position, first movement position, and second movement position each time a job specified for the transported media changes. Furthermore, the control unit 171 may determine the placement position to be the first movement position when a duplicated feed of media occurs, and may determine the placement position to be the second movement position when the media is separator paper. When the placement position of the second shaft 137 is determined to be the first movement position, the control unit 171 executes the processing of steps S208 to S211.

On the other hand, if the second shaft 137 is determined to be in the second movement position, the control unit 171 stops the motor 135 (step S212). As a result, the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g, and the discharge roller 120 stop.

Next, the control unit 171 drives the second motor 342 to rotate in the forward direction, causing the second motor 342 to generate a third driving force (step S213). This third driving force moves the stopper 339 from the stopper initial position toward the stopper movement position. The control unit 171 rotates the motor 135 in the forward direction by a predetermined amount required to move the stopper 339 from the stopper initial position to the stopper movement position, and moves the stopper 339 to the stopper movement position. At this time, the second shaft 137 is pressed toward the stopper 339 by the spring 138c, and moves together with the stopper 339 to be disposed in the second movement position.

Next, the control unit 171 drives the motor 135 to rotate in the forward direction A16, causing the motor 135 to generate a first driving force (step S214). The first driving force is blocked by the second one-way clutch 138d and is not transmitted to the pinion 138a, and the second shaft 137 is pressed toward the stopper 139 by the spring 138c and remains in the second movement position. Meanwhile, the first driving force causes the discharge roller 120 to rotate in the direction of the arrow A15. As a result, the discharge roller 120 discharges the medium so that its tip is inclined to the right with respect to the direction in which the medium has been conveyed by the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, and the first to seventh conveying rollers 116a to g. The control unit 171 rotates the motor 135 in the forward direction A16 by an amount sufficient to reliably discharge the medium.

Next, the control unit 171 stops the motor 135 again (step S215). As a result, the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g, and the discharge roller 120 stop.

Next, the control unit 171 drives the motor 135 to rotate in the reverse direction A17, causing the motor 135 to generate a second driving force, and drives the second motor 342 to rotate in the reverse direction, causing the second motor 342 to generate a third driving force (step S216). The second driving force moves the second shaft 137 toward the initial position. The control unit 171 rotates the motor 135 in the reverse direction A17 by a predetermined amount required to move the second shaft 137 from the second moving position to the initial position, causing the second shaft 137 to move to the initial position. Meanwhile, the third driving force moves the stopper 339 from the stopper moving position toward the stopper initial position. The control unit 171 rotates the motor 135 in the reverse direction by a predetermined amount required to move the stopper 339 from the stopper moving position to the stopper initial position, causing the stopper 339 to move to the stopper initial position.

Next, the control unit 171 stops the motor 135 (step S217). As a result, the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a-g, and the discharge roller 120 stop.

Next, the control unit 171 drives the motor 135 to rotate in the forward direction A16, causing the motor 135 to generate a first driving force (step S218). The first driving force causes the pick roller 112, the feed roller 113, the brake roller 114, the first to seventh conveyor rollers 116a to 116g, and the discharge roller 120 to rotate again in the directions of the arrows A5 to A15.

The processing of steps S207 to S211 may be omitted, and if the control unit 171 determines in step S206 that the position of the second shaft 137 is not to be the initial position, the control unit 171 may determine that the position of the second shaft 137 is to be the second movement position.

As described above in detail, the medium ejection device 300 is capable of appropriately controlling the ejection direction of the medium while suppressing increases in device costs, even when the stopper 339 is provided in a movable manner.

The medium ejection device 300 may use a solenoid to move the stopper 339 instead of the second motor 342. In this case, the medium ejection device 300 arranges a plurality of stoppers 339 in the medium ejection direction A3, and attaches a movable magnetic pole of a solenoid to each stopper 339 so that each stopper 339 can move away from a position facing the second shaft 137. In steps S213 and S216, the control unit 171 controls the solenoid to move each stopper 339 to a position facing or not facing the second shaft 137, thereby placing the second shaft 137 in a specific position. In general, a solenoid is cheaper than a motor, and the medium ejection device 300 can further reduce device costs.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a processing circuit 470 of a medium ejection device according to yet another embodiment.

The processing circuit 470 is used in place of the processing circuit 170 of the medium ejection device 100, and executes media reading processing and the like in place of the processing circuit 170. The processing circuit 470 has a control circuit 471, a detection circuit 472, and the like. Each of these components may be composed of an independent integrated circuit, microprocessor, firmware, and the like.

The control circuit 471 is an example of a control unit, and has the same functions as the control unit 171. The control circuit 471 receives an operation signal from the operation device 105, a first detection signal from the first sensor 111, an ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic sensor 115, and a medium detection result from the detection circuit 472. The control circuit 471 controls the motor 135 and the second motor 342 so as to control the ejection of the medium based on each piece of information received. The control circuit 471 also acquires an input image from the imaging device 118, and outputs it to the interface device 151.

The detection circuit 472 is an example of a detection unit, and has the same function as the detection unit 172. The detection circuit 472 receives a second detection signal from the second sensor 119, detects a medium based on the received second detection signal, and outputs the detection result to the control circuit 471.

As described above in detail, the media ejection device is now able to appropriately control the media ejection direction while suppressing increases in device costs, even when the media reading process is performed by the processing circuit 470.

100 Media ejection device, 104 ejection table, 120 ejection roller, 120a first one-way clutch, 121 opposing roller, 135 motor, 136 first shaft, 137 second shaft, 138 change mechanism, 138a pinion, 138b rack, 138c spring, 138d second one-way clutch, 139 stopper, 140 third shaft, 342 second motor, 343 movement mechanism

Claims (6)

An ejection roller that ejects the medium;
a shaft member that rotatably supports the discharge roller;
a discharge tray for stacking the medium discharged by the discharge roller;
a support member that supports the shaft member so as to change an orientation of the shaft member with respect to the ejection platform;
a change mechanism that changes the orientation of the shaft member with respect to the support member by moving one end of the shaft member in an arc ;
a single motor that rotates in a first direction to generate a first driving force to rotate the discharge roller , and that rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction to generate a second driving force to operate the change mechanism;
a first blocking mechanism disposed between the shaft member and the discharge roller and configured to transmit the first driving force to the discharge roller but not to transmit the second driving force to the discharge roller;
a second blocking mechanism disposed between the shaft member and the change mechanism and configured to transmit the second driving force to the change mechanism but not to transmit the first driving force to the change mechanism;
A medium ejection device comprising: The medium ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first blocking mechanism is a one-way clutch. the changing mechanism includes a pinion connected to one end of the shaft member and rotating in response to rotation of the shaft member, and a rack combined with the pinion and disposed in an arc shape,
The medium ejection device described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second blocking mechanism is a one-way clutch arranged between the shaft member and the pinion and configured to transmit the second driving force to the pinion but not to transmit the first driving force to the pinion. a locking member for locking the shaft member in a predetermined position;
an elastic member that applies a force to the shaft member toward the locking member,
A medium ejection device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the change mechanism changes the orientation of the shaft member in a direction away from the engaging member when the second driving force is transmitted. a second motor that generates a third driving force;
The medium ejection device according to claim 4 , further comprising: a moving mechanism that moves the locking member by the third driving force. an opposing roller disposed opposite the discharge roller;
A second shaft member that rotatably supports the opposing roller,
6. The medium ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the change mechanism changes the orientation of the second shaft member in conjunction with the change in the orientation of the shaft member.

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